


Free Him

by jadencross



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Fluff, Gen, Human AU, Nordics, also overthrowing the government kind of because you know family bonding, and nors sick like the entire time, both physical and psycological, implied rape at one point, its kinda a mess, its kinda all over the place, its not as gritty as it sounds right now tho, kinda graphic occasionally, manipulation kindof, mostly fluffy and anko family plus Sweden doing house things
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-27
Updated: 2015-07-01
Packaged: 2018-03-03 19:28:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2880752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jadencross/pseuds/jadencross
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Matthias had lived with his brother Berwald his entire life. After his parents died and left the estate to the two boys, Matthias became the community doctor and Berwald took over their parent's farm. They think they're in for a boring life, but all that changes when Matthias spots a bloody footprint in the snow. Before long the house isn't so empty, and questions about those around them soon cure their life from any boredom.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Red on White

The world was white. It always was in winter, but Matthias felt that it was important today. He didn't know why, but never one to ignore his instincts, he paid attention to the snow. His brother, Berwald, looked at him strange as they loaded up their cart to go into town.

After hitching their two horses to the large wooden structure, Berwald double checked the halters, glancing at his brother out of the corner of his eye. "'S wrong?"

"Nothing," Matthias replied, waving his hand at his brother while not taking his eyes off the landscape. "I just feel like I should watch the snow today."

"Why's that?"

"I dunno," Matthias furrowed his brow. "It just feels like I might miss something."

Berwald snorted. "Well, while YOU watch the snow, I'LL drive the cart," the man stated, climbing into the driver's position on the cart's bench.

"Hey now," Matthias took his eyes off the snow, settling them on the newly attracted gaze of his kin's, "I never said that. I'm oldest and I'm calling it." Matthias jumped into the cart, making a grab for the reigns.

"We're grown men," Berwald replied, keeping the reigns out of hand using his long arms. "Seniority by a few years no longer rules."

"But I-" Matthias's protests were cut short by Berwald spurring the horses, sending Matthias over the riding bench and into the back of the cart. "Blegh!" Matthias protested, spitting straw out of his mouth. He glared at the back of his brother's head.

"I can feel you smiling up there, Berwald, and I am not impressed."

"Just shut up and get on the bench," Berwald responded dryly. If he had been smiling there was no way to tell now. Matthias growled, scrambling into the front seat.

**.-. . -.. / .- ... / -... .-.. --- --- -.. / .-- .... .. - . / .- ... / ... -. --- .--**

It had been a fairly boring trip into town, the only interesting thing that had happened was an escaped pig, but that situation occurred almost every other day. Matthias had attended to a few patients, checking their coughs and giving out a few herbs before moving on to the next one.

After Berwald had finished trading to the local markets and getting a few new clothes for their fruits, the two brothers got back into their cart. This time, Matthias got to drive.

As they slowly made their way out to their farm, Matthias watched the snow again, his head in his thoughts. He was just coming up with a plan to solidify the fencing of his peers when something caught his eyes.

It was a color. Granted, there were colors all around, but they were all white or brown or the grey of the sky. No, the color that had caught his attention was a color he'd learned to dread.

Bright crimson red.

It was in the shape of a footprint, and it marked the snow by the edge of the road. Matthias pulled on the reigns, halting the cart.

Berwald looked up at his brother as he jumped out of the cart. "'S up?"

Matthias knelt by the footprint, his proximity verifying his suspicions. "There's blood on the road."

"What?" Berwald perked up, leaning for a glimpse of the liquid.

"Its in the shape of a shoe print," Matthias informed his brother as he reached toward the red ice, trying to get up the courage to touch it. What if it wasn't human blood? "Toe's pointed towards town."

"If you're worried about someone being injured," Berwald spoke up, "we should've passed him."

"No," Matthias looked down the street, "there's only one footprint. They probably stepped in something." Finally, Matthias touched his finger to the cold red spot.

"Well, only human blood's that red," Berwald looked back towards town. "I wonder what-"

"Berwald," Matthias cut him off urgently. Berwald looked at the now stiff back of his brother. "Berwald, this is fresh."

"What?"

Matthias looked up, searching for more red among the white. "There's someone injured nearby." Berwald climbed out of the cart to help his brother just as Matthias finally spotted more red footprints. They lead down the hill away from the road. Matthias started following suit.

"What are you doing?" Berwald questioned, feet still on the road.

"There's nothing down this hill, Ber," Matthias explained. "There's probably someone dying down there."

"Alright," Berwald huffed. "I'll stay with the cart. Holler if you need anything."

Matthias nodded in understanding, and started making his way down the slope again. He wasn't slow, by any means, but the snow dragged on his feet and kept him from running like he wanted to. Granted, if he ran he would probably fall on his face, something a heroic rescuer probably shouldn't do.

Nevertheless, Matthias felt a sense of urgency as he made his way down the hill. After what felt like forever, Matthias reached the bottom of the hill. He glanced back towards his brother, and found the road completely obscured by the trees. This really was the perfect spot for a crime. The footprints lead still farther into the forest and Matthias followed them quickly.

Just as Matthias was starting to think the footprints went on forever, the trees thinned out, and he emerged in a clearing. He stopped in his tracks, studying the body before him

It was a boy, approximately Berwald's age, with brown hair. His skin was unnaturally pale, and his arms were skin and bones. A dark purple cloak covered his body from the neck down except his feet and half of his forearms. Blood dripped from the boy's mouth, joining a pool that was slowly forming below his lips. Blood had seeped from his hair line, the red sheet covering his left eye.

Matthias took a step forward, and the boy's eye shot open. Matthias could have sworn that sparks flew from the boy's eye, a fire obviously burning within them. Matthias breathed a small sigh of relief. This boy hadn't given up on life.

"Hey," Matthias called, taking another step. He was met with a growl. The boy shifted so his right arm bulged out under the cloak, as if he was protecting something. Matthias put his hands in front of his body, signifying that he meant no harm.

"I just want to help," Matthias continued, taking another step. "You're bleeding heavily. You'll die if you don't stop the blood flow soon." The boy just stared angrily.

"Listen," Matthias took another step, "I can help. I'm a doctor."

"Really?" A small voice cried from under the cloak. It was followed almost immediately by a small brunette head shooting out from underneath the cloth.

"Ice!" The larger boy reached toward the newly appeared one quickly, but he flinched and pulled back, pain now evident in his gaze.

The small boy darted to Matthias and, clutching the man's shirt tightly, peered up into his face. "Will you save my brother."

"O-of course," Matthias said, surprised by the appearance of the younger boy. He gave the child a once over, finding a surprising lack of wounds. The boy had grown impatient, and pulled the blond man towards the only one bleeding among them.

The boy's eyes seemed less awake now, as if the blood loss was finally catching up to him. Matthias placed his hands on the boy's shoulder, gently rolling his body onto his back.

The boy didn't wince this time. Matthias caught his breath.

The boy's stomach had been cut open, the color of the shirt he'd been wearing indistinguishable as it was soaked through with blood. Stab wounds presented themselves along his arms and legs, luckily all just shy of major arteries. Scars and newer burns circled his wrists and ankles. Red marks that ringed his neck showed Matthias that the boy had also been strangled.

Anger rose in Matthias's throat. How could somebody treat a human like this? He quickly squelched it in favor of keeping the boy alive. The thought about using the boy's cloak to wrap it up, but decided against it. He was borderline hypothermic as it was, and there were more materials at home. Matthias decided that moving the boy was his best bet.

"Berwald!" Matthias called, his loud voice a gift in this situation. "I found them! We're coming up!"

Matthias got on one knee, placing his arms under the boys knees and neck so he could pick him up more easily. As he took his weight, the boy gasped, shutting his eyes tight. One off his bloodstained hands fell off of his torso. The boy was too tired to lift it.

The boy's brother grabbed a hold of it and placed it gently back on his brother's chest as Matthias took off towards his cart. The boy had problems keeping up, which came as no surprise to Matthias. The child could be but nine years old. But Matthias had no time to wait. He could feel the body in his arms fading fast.

"Berwald!" Matthias called once he started climbing the hill. "Come carry this little kid so we can move!"

Not a moment later, Berwald was scooping the child up in his arms and bounding up the hill. Berwald, the more athletically adept sibling, had no problems running straight up the hill with a body in toe. Not that Matthias wasn't fit our anything, but anybody would have difficulties carrying someone three-quarters their size.

When he finally created the hill, Matthias loaded the boy into the cart. As soon as Matthias had set the boy down, Berwald spurred the horses into a quick gallop back to the house. Berwald was accustomed to being the brother of a doctor by this point.

As they bumped along, Matthias instructed the one boy in how to put pressure on his brother and where so that he wouldn't bleed out.

The boy in question sat staring up at the sky, after Matthias had finished instructing the youngest present, his glassy gaze turned to his brother.

"Ice," he spoke softly, his cracked lips barely moving. "I'm gonna need to sleep for awhile. Is that okay?" Ice nodded vigorously. The boy blinked slowly. "I can't watch you and protect you while I'm asleep, okay? While I'm sleeping, I need you to stay out of sight."

Ice nodded again, this time tears filling his eyes.

"Norge, are you gonna die?"

Matthias stiffened at the boy's query, but Norge just smiled slightly.

"Not yet."

Then the boy's glassy eyes slid closed and his body relaxed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I didn't start this out the way I normally would, but its really late and its been burning my brains out for months. I have literally no idea when chapter two will be a thing, but it will be! I may edit later if I stop being a lazy bum.
> 
> Also, I can't decide on last names no we'll see how far I can get without them!


	2. White and Blue

For a while, Matthias was sure that Norge was wrong. 

After hours of wrapping, cutting, sewing, and good old doctor magic, Matthias finally decided that he could do no more for the boy. 

He straightened up, trying to loosen the kink from his back. He stood, then walked to let the two others into the room. 

As soon as the latch had left its slot, Matthias found both the door and a small child spilling forward into him. He let loose a shout, before succumbing to the momentum of his peers.

"I told you not to lean on the door," Berwald grumbled, pulling Ice off the blond man. 

"S-sorry," Ice said, rubbing his head as he stood.

"It's okay," Matthias laughed wearily, following suit. "You're just worried about your brother, right?" The boy shook his head. 

Turning wide eyes on the doctor, the boy asked, "Is he okay?"

Matthias sighed. "For now," he replied slowly. "I've slowed the bleeding and stitched him back up the best I could, but I'm still only 80 percent sure he'll make it."

"Then that means he will," Ice stated bluntly, catching the two men off guard.

"How do you know?" Matthias asked, surprised by the child's confidence.

"Brother's made it through times where he only had a 50 percent chance," Ice stated matter-of-factly. Then the boy's face contorted slightly downward. A pale hand reached up to pull his hair into his eyes.

"'S wrong?" Berwald asked, his brow furrowing.

"I just...feel weird," Ice said. This pulled the already weary Matthias into action.

"How so?" Matthias got down so he was eye level with the boy. "Does it hurt? Or-"

"It doesn't hurt," Ice shook his head. "I just feel lighter. Like I would when..." Ice trailed off, his eyes widening. His hand flashed out, gripping Matthias's jacket sleeve. "What do I look like?" He asked quickly.

"Um...what?" Matthias blinked a few times. "Well, you have pale skin, brown hair, brown eyes-" 

"I have brown eyes?" Ice cut him off.

"Have you never seen yourself before?" Matthias asked, but the boy was already running to his brother's side.

"Norge!" Ice called, shaking the older boy's shoulder. "Norge, you have to-" Matthias quickly scooped the smaller boy into the air, keeping him at a distance from the sleeping one.

"Hey now," he scolded, "I can't have you disturbing my patients. He needs rest or else he won't make it."

"I know!" Ice said quickly. "I'm trying to get him to relax! Maybe he forgot or something. All I know is that he needs to stop." Matthias furrowed his brow in confusion. Ice looked up at him with big brown eyes. "Please, mister? I only have to say a few things."

"Alright," Matthias caved, setting the boy down. Ice quickly ran to his brother again.

"Norge," he started, this time more calmly, "I'm safe. I promise I won't go outside. I won't let anyone in. I'll make sure no one can see us. So please, use your energy for other things." 

The room was quiet for a moment, then Norge gave a little sigh. Matthias felt his ears pop, and a large grin settled on Ice's face. He turned to Matthias, who was surprised to see the color fading from the boys eyes. 

They were turning a bright blue, the same color as a glacier. His hair turned a light grey, though Matthias could tell the tint was only from dirt. He looked over at the sleeping Norge, whose hair had been cleaned by a rag after the procedure. His hair was a pearly white. 

Matthias leaned down, picking up the washrag he had used on Norge. He stepped over to Ice, and began to gently clean his hair. When the first patch had been cleared, Matthias confirmed that Ice had the same colored hair as his kin.

"What kinda trick is that?" Matthias asked when he was done.

"Does that mean my eye are blue again?" Ice asked in response. Matthias nodded. "It wasn't a trick."

"It surely had to be some kinda trick," Berwald spoke up. "Eyes and hair don't just change color like that."

"It magic," Ice said matter-of-factly. "My brother was born with the gift of magic."

Matthias wasn't sure if he wanted to laugh or not. Magic was a bad thing that marked only the worst souls. Everyone who could do magic became bad in the end. But Norge, he was too nice. Surely it wasn't really magic. Ice had said it so convincingly that Matthias was sure he believed it. 

After deliberating with himself for awhile, Matthias decided the best course of action would be to change the subject.

"How much sleep have you gotten?" Matthias asked the boy.

"The normal amount," Ice replied. "When the sun's asleep, so am I."

Matthias was surprised by that. Not many people who had a home could do it, much less homeless runaways.

"How much sleep did your brother get?" 

Ice stared at the floor. 

"Not much," he said, toeing the floorboards. "But he didn't get much at home either. He kept insisting that I should get to sleep because he understood what happened when you didn't for a long time."

"Why didn't he get much sleep at home?"

Ice bit his lip. "I'm not supposed to answer that. Norge said it wasn't safe."

At that, Berwald clapped his hands. "Matthias, I think you've been forgetting something pretty important."

"What?" Matthias asked, annoyed at the lack of information. "I got Norge bandaged, cleaned Ice, and you got him food. What am I forgetting?"

"Introductions," Berwald stated bluntly.

"Oh. Right."

"So," Berwald turned to the minor, "we've gathered that your name is Ice and your brother's name is Norge. Is that correct?" 

Ice nodded. 

"Good," Berwald continued, "then we don't have to relearn names. Now, do you know who we are?"

Ice shook his head.

"My name's Matthias," Matthias spoke up. "I'm the doctor for a town not too far from here. And this is my younger brother Berwald. I'm twenty one, and he's nineteen."

"Nineteen?" Ice asked. "Norge's eighteen."

"How old are you?" Berwald inquired.

"I'm eight," Ice answered.

"That's quite a difference in ages," Matthias noted. Ice looked down again.

"I wish I'd been born earlier," the boy muttered. "Then maybe this wouldn't have happened."

"I'm sure that's not the case," Matthias replied, patting the little guy on the back. He stored the information away for later, though. He would have to ask Norge what that meant when he woke up. Based on what Ice had said, Norge wouldn't be very upfront about their lives.

Matthias looked down at the sleeping body of Norge. After timing the breaths the small body took to establish that he was healthy, he turned back to the others in the room.

"Now, this house is kinda small," Matthias said. "We don't have very many rooms. This is the only room that's not normally occupied. Its the only one without windows, too. So here's the question: would you rather sleep in here on a fairly uncomfortable floor or in the living room on a fairly uncomfortable cot?"

Ice deliberated. "Would I be able to sleep with my brother?"

"You mean in the same bed?" Matthias interpreted. "Sorry buddy. Not for a while. He's got stitches that if they get torn, he'll die. When he gets better, sure."

Ice bit his lip. "I can't sleep without someone being in the bed with me," Ice informed them. "I have really bad nightmares. When we still were at home, I would sleep with my half brother when Norge was..." Ice gulped, obviously remembering exactly why he had nightmares.

"You could sleep with me until your brother's okay," Matthias offered. "My bed used to be my parents'. Its big enough that you, me, and Norge could all fit in it. Would you like that?" 

"Yes, please!" Ice smiled. The upward turn was interrupted by a great yawn, causing Matthias to start herding him towards the door.

"Berwald, give him a pair of your old pjs to wear and get him in bed," Matthias instructed. "I'll be in soon. I'm just gonna do a final check before we go to sleep tonight." 

Berwald nodded and swept the worried child out of the room. Matthias slumped down in a chair, running his hands through his hair. He looked over at Norge, an expression of equal parts worry and intrigue on his face. 

Just who were these boys, and what demons followed them? Matthias decided he couldn't ask Ice for reliable information. It was clear with what he did know that Norge held all the cards. He probably left his younger brother in the dark. Matthias had, after all, and Berwald was only two years younger than him. Ice was currently half Norge's age. 

After a while of thinking and checking that Norge would be stable through the night, Matthias headed towards his room. When he got there, Ice was already asleep. Matthias had rarely been so happy to join him

( **.-- .... .. - . / .. ... / .... .. ... / ... --- ..- .-.. / -... .-.. ..- . / .- .-. . / .... .. ... / . -.-- . ...** )

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've reached one of those points that are the inbetweens of the big parts you wanna write. It'll probably be awhile before I post the nest one. Its a miracle I've gotten this up so fast.


	3. Blue and Black

It didn't go exactly how Matthias had planned.

It turns out that Ice is not very good at respecting personal space in bed. Matthias counted at least five times when he woke up due to a lack of oxygen. Man that kid could bearhug.

Matthias woke with the sun, groggy and sore. He'd been run over by a horse and carriage before but he hadn't been this sore before. He sincerely pityed whoever slept with the kid normally.

He looked over at the small figure, still sleeping peacefully beside him. The small breaths were endearing, in a way, and Matthias decided to let the boy sleep. Both of their brother's required attention.

Matthias stood, stretching in the sunlight and slipping on a new pair of clothes. He slid out the door, silently closing it behind them. Once outside he yawned, igniting a low chuckle from his fellow spawn in the kitchen.

"Tired, are we?" Berwald smirked, taking another sip of milk. "

He's as painful to sleep with as you," Matthias replied, cracking his back.

"So he's not the adorable ball of sunshine you thought children were?" Berwald remarked, draining his mug.

"When did I ever say children were balls of sunshine?" Matthias asked, padding towards the kitchen area. It was a small house. There were three bedrooms and a kitchen and living space that was separated by what little furniture they had. Their father had made a little more money than the average peasant with his doctor status, and the large amount of land their mother managed allowed them to sell the extra. They were lucky. Their house had windows and two doors; one faced the road, the other faced away.

Berwald stood and made his way towards the back door. "I made your favorite," he hummed, slipping on his fur cap, "burned oatmeal and a few apples."

"Oh joy," Matthias replied sarcastically, waving at his brother. "I was planning on staying with the patients today."

"I suspected," Berwald replied, then slid out the door in a waft of cold air.

Matthias bussied himself in the kitchen, heating his own milk in the kettle by the fireplace. Their mother used to cook glorious feasts using that kettle, and there had been plans to teach her offspring the ways of the stew but apparently the grim reaper would rather her children live off of burned vegetables and warm milk for the rest of their lives. Matthias kind of resented the timing.

He had just poured out his milk in a mug and was about to take a sip when a tremendous screeching eminated from the front bedroom. Matthias quickly set his beverage down and ran towards the door.

He burst in with a flurry, quickly spotting the boy cowering in the corner. He rushed to his side, believing the boy to be hurt.

"What's wrong?" Matthias inquired quickly. "Are you okay?"

Ice sniffed. "I...I...I thought you'd left me."

"Oh, come now," Matthias said sweetly, mentally chiding himself. He should have know better than to leave an emotionally traumatized child alone in a room, "I wouldn't leave you."

"I...I thought that you had taken Norge and left," Ice sniffed again, "just like The Priest."

That caught Matthias's attention. "The Priest?" "

Y-yeah," Ice's tears started to slow. "He tried to kidnap Norge two years ago. I don't know why. Norge wouldn't tell me."

"So your brother almost got kidnapped two years ago," Matthias's thoughts were racing, "and you guys ran away...how long ago?"

"Eight months," Ice replied.

"Why'd you run away?"

"Norge said he'd had enough," Ice answered. "He said he didn't want to be treated anymore. So we left. I don't know why Fin didn't come with us. Wouldn't he get treated in place of Norge?"

"Who's Fin?" Matthias was starting to get lost.

"My brother," Ice said, visibly calmer now. "He's seventeen. Norge says he's our half brother because he has a different mom."

"What does 'treated' mean?"

Ice bit his lip. "I don't know. Norge and Fin won't ever tell me. I just know that sometimes Norge will dissapear for a week and I'll have to sleep with Fin. Sometimes I'll hear him screaming, but Fin won't ever tell me why or let me see him."

"Is that why you can't sleep alone?" The boy nodded.

Matthias's next question was cut off by a growl from the boy's stomach.

"Hungry, huh?" Matthias smiled.

Ice nodded.

"Come on," Matthias stood and pulled the boy to his feet. "Berwald made some food for breakfast. What do you think of oatmeal?"

**\- .... . / -... .-. ..- .. ... . ... / .- .-. . -. - / .--- ..- ... - / --- -. / .... .. ... / -... --- -.. -.--**

It turned out that Ice wasn't properly ready for the day yet.

After Matthias had given him a bowl of blacked oatmeal and a mug of warm milk, the boy had fallen asleep again, though this time on the couch. Matthias placed a blanket over the cold body, then stoked the fire.

Matthias had noticed during the bed fight and the breakfast proceedings that the boy, though not severely injured, had quite the aray of bruises. The lined his feet, his hands, and his jaw, and there were rings around his wrist as if he'd been pulled along a lot. Guessing from the wary eyes of Norge, the wrist bruises had been done by him, and Matthias guessed that the others came from slipups in the road and forest as they made their way.

Matthias was relieved, though. Despite the bruises Ice was in a better shape than most runaways. Norge had done a good job of protecting his kin.

Which reminded him.

Matthias set down the stoker and proceeded into the back room. Norge hadn't moved, and there was no sign that the boy had woken up, either.

Matthias picked up the washcloth from the bucket beside the door as he walked over to the boy.

There was still a lot of blood crusted on the boy's face and body, obscuring Matthias's view of the little cuts and bruises that he needed to be aware of.

He leaned over the other boy, sweeping aside some of his soft, white hair. He dabbed a little at the rusty red staining his pale skin, gently cleaning. He cleaned along the hairline, then moved down the side of the boy's face. When most of the blood had been cleared away, Matthias noticed a long cut crossing just below the hairline. As he watched, it welled up a little bit, but the bloodflow was slow. Nothing dripped. Matthias wiped the blood off with the washcloth, then set his fingertip to the part that still bled.

He'd been expecting to keep a little pressure because if the bleeding was slow, then it was almost stopped. What happened, was drastically different.

As soon as his finger touched the pale white skin of the boy, he found himself standing on a stone rooftop. It was a high view. Wind swirled across the surface as lush green valleys spread as far as the eye could see. Matthias couldn't tell exactly how high they were, or where they were. He'd never been very far outside of his hometown. Even the plants looked drastically different. There was a town below, and a drawbridge.

 _A noble's house? Matt_ hias thought to himself. He'd heard stories about the gleaming cities and high walls of noble castles. But why was he...?

Matthias's thoughts were cut off by the big pitched laughter of children. He looked to his left to find two boys running about over the stone floor.There were other people on the roof, too. About five women wearing white caps hung up laundry on wires, and three men stood by what were clearly archer stations, monitoring and surveying the town and land around it. 

The boys seemed the happiest, one blond with gleaming blue eyes, the other with snow white hair and shining purple eyes. Bright smiles shone upon their faces.

"No fair, Norge!" the blond boy called after the other had tripped him. "I wanted to play the adventurer today!"

"You are an adventurer," Norge responded. "I'm just the adventure  _leader._ "

"Boys," a pretty blonde woman had appeared from the door in the center of the roof. "No fighting. What has your father told you?"

"Fighting only leads to disadvantages in war," the boys responded in unison.

"But Mom," the blond boy reasoned, "we weren't fighting."

"Yeah," Norge chimed in, "we were just having a discussion about how I am the headadventurer."

"We were not!"

"I'm older!"

"Boys!" the woman cried. She wheeled on the blond one. "Tino, you simply  _must_ learn to stand up for yourself! You are only one year younger. Decide what you want to do."

"But Mom-"

"No 'buts'mister."

"Lady Alva," Norge said, "its just a game."

"I will listen to nothing that comes out of the mouth of the child of Hedvig," Lady Alva snapped. The men and women on the roof shifted uneasily. Even Matthias could sense her hostility towards the boy. What was her problem with Hedvig?

"Mom," Tino tried to diffuse the situation, "can we go play now?"

"Only if this pompous child will allow you to play the leader," she glared at Norge.

"Of course," Norge replied, before gesturing for Tino. They ran over toward the corner where Matthias stood, Lady Alva taking a seat near the door.

"I'm glad we don't have the same mom," Norge whispered when they were out of earshot. "Your mom's scary."

"Your mom's scary, too!" Tino whispered back. " _And_ she had more power because she's actually married to father. All mine does is yell."

"Whatever," Norge huffed. "Can we just play?"

"Sure," Tino agreed. "You can be the head adventurer. I don't really wanna be anymore."

"I don't feel like playing 'Norge and Fin: Master Adventurers' anymore," Norge said. "Let's play tag."

"Okay!" Tino smiled. He reached over and smacked the other boy on the shoulder. "You're it!" He laughed, then took off.

"Hey!" Norge smiled, then shot after him

Matthias watched them run back and forth for awhile, as did Lady Alva. Every time Norge would get Tino, she would scowl at the older boy. Every time Tino got Norge, she would smile as if the former had won a war. Maybe to her he had.

As the sun beat down, a pequilar feeling seeped into Matthias's bones. A feeling of dread. He felt like something important was about to happen, but as he looked around he discovered that no one shared the sentiment. As time wore on it began to grow, and Matthias grew more uneasy. What was so important?

Norge got Tino again, and Matthias's gut sank. Here it is.

Tino ran past Norge, slapping the boy on the shoulder. He continued running past him, turning his head so that his body faced forward and his head faced back.

"Haha!" Tino screened at a temporarily frozen Norge. "You're it!" He picked up his speed.

"Tino!" Norge shouted, his eyes widening as he discovered the imminent danger. Tino turned to face ahead as he took his first step of the roof.

Tino screamed. Norge surged forward. Lady Alva launched out of her chair. The men and women on the roof rushed forwards. Matthias watched in terror. Time slowed.

No one was going to make it. No one was close enough.

" **TINO!** " Norge screamed, diving onto the roof and sliding the last few inches so his arms hung off the side of the roof. It didn't matter. Tino was already five feet down.

 "Sigfrid! Hjelpe meg!" Norge screamed, and clasp his hand onto the air. The boy pulled with all his might, leaning back and across the roof. But there was nothing in his hands. The group on the roof stopped when they saw him. They knew it was too late.

Boy were they surprised when Tino crested the edge. Norge gave one last tug, and the two boys fell onto the roof. Both were pale and shaking, both with fear and wonder in their eyes. No one moved.

Lady Alva's face contorted into and expression of realization. Realization that she now had the keys to get rid of the obstacles in her life.

"Tino!" she screeched, scooping the boy into her arms before turning on the other. "Get away!" She screamed at Norge. "I don't want a witch to touch my baby!"

Norge's eyes widened in fear and confusion.

Just then another woman burst through the door. She was dressed more elegantly than Lady Alva, her hair and eyes matching those of Norge. She rushed towards the boy still on the ground, he long hair flowing behind her.

"Norge! Tino!" she cried upon seeing them safe. "Thanks the gods you're okay!" She kneeled down and gently took Norge into her body.

"You son's a witch!" Lady Alva screeched, having her finger at the woman. "And if he's a witch, then you must be too!"

The woman wheeled on Lady Alva. "The only thing I saw here was your son falling off a roof," she hissed. "I'd my son is indeed a witch then you should be thanking him for saving Tino, not screaming at him."

"A witch!" Lady Alva scremed again. She turned to run towards the door. "Hedvig and her son are witches!"

"Mom?" Norge asked, the color still gone from his face. "What did I do?"

Hedvig pulled her son back close. Tears forming in her eyes. "Nothing, love," she whispered in his ear. "You did nothing wrong."

 The world started to change. The blue of the sky faded to black and Matthias felt weightless. Then suddenly, he was sitting back in his house. Back by a much older Norge. His finger was still pressed against the boy's temple. The bleeding had stopped.

Matthias's gut began to sink again.

This was only the beginning.


	4. Red and Purple

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha ha ha ha...  
> Sorry guys. I haven't updated this in, um, I'm guessing half a year maybe? Super sorry. I was stuck and junior year stress took over and ACTs and a switch of obsession kinda threw me off.
> 
> I really do mean it when I say super sorry, but to make up for it, in the time I've been on...hiatus, I guess, I've taken a writing class and gotten better at writing than when I started out, so there's that.
> 
> If you stuck with this fic during that horrendous gap, I applaud you and am giving you a virtual hug (unless you don't like hugs in which case I'll give you a very loving handshake). Even if you didn't wait through all that time, I'll still give you a hug/handshake because, hey! You're reading my fic! Thanks.
> 
> I promise it won't take me as long next time, but it still may be awhile.
> 
> So, here we go with chapter four! Enjoy!

"When is Norge gonna wake up?"

The question was sudden, spoken by a timid voice over what Berwald would call a horrific meal if it hadn't been his brother's turn to cook.

"I wouldn't know," Berwald said, spooning more burnt beef stew into his mouth. "You'd have to ask Matthias."

"Where is he?" Ice asked, swirling his spoon to get at least a little meat this go around.

"He's in town," Berwald replied. "He always goes to check on Old Lady Helena on Tuesdays."

"Why?"

"She and her husband, Erik, have gotten old. He's been sick for a long time."

"Oh," Ice said quietly. The conversation stopped, and Berwald noticed that Ice wasn't chasing meat anymore.

"'S wrong?" Berwald asked, eyeing the boy's face.

"I want Norge to wake up soon, is all," Ice admitted.

"I'm sure he will," Berwald replied uncomfortably.

The small kitchen seemed to grow larger with an uncomfortable silence. Berwald shifted uneasily. He wished Matthias was here. Even if his brother was loud and annoying, he at least was good at keeping up the conversation.

Plus, Matthias actually knew what was going on with the kid.

Their father had never taught Berwald much in the ways of medical assistance, but Berwald had never minded. For a guy with such a terrifying exterior, he was actually pretty squeamish when it came to injuries. The mere thought of broken bones or chewed up flesh made him want to vomit.

Or maybe that was just this god awful stew.

Right on cue, the horrific cook of the day swept in through the front door, snow piled on his jacket and grin on his face.

"Don't get the floor wet or it'll mold," Berwald reminded him.

"Yeah yeah," Matthias waved him off.

"Matthias!" Ice beamed, tackling the older man. For a small kid, he had a good tackle. Matthias was sent crashing to the floor.

"Whoa!" Matthias laughed. "What's got you so riled up?"

"Berwald said that you knew when Norge was gonna wake up," Ice said eagerly. "Is it soon?"

The grin on Matthias's face wavered ever so slightly. "Well, kid," the blond said slowly, "I don't know for sure, but it should be."

"Yay!" Ice grinned widely. "When Norge wakes up, I won't have to keep eating this nasty food!"

That drew a deep laugh out of Matthias and a smile out of Berwald.

"So, what, you're gonna leave?" Matthias asked.

"No," Ice shook his head. "Norge just knows how to cook."

"Oh, I see," Matthias chuckled. "Well, buddy, I hate to burst your bubble, but even if Norge wakes up tomorrow, he won't be able to stand for at least a month."

"Why?" Ice's gaze grew confused.

"His body still needs to heal," Matthias said kindly. "It's the doctor's orders."

"Damn," Ice huffed.

"Whoa," Matthias said, surprised. "Where'd you learn that?"

"Norge," Ice replied. "He said it a lot when he would trip over an animal."

"Your brother trips over animals?" Berwald asked.

"Yeah," Ice replied.

"That must be nice for hunting," Matthias said. "We rarely see anything but squirrels around here."

"No," ice said sternly. "Norge always told me that animals who keep you company should never be hunted. Its a betrayal of trust."

"Your brother sounds like quite the guy," Matthias said. Berwald caught a flash of something in his eyes, but it was gone before he could decipher it.

"Well," Matthias said, looking out the window. "Its dark out, which means that you should get to bed."

"Okay," Ice smiled, jumping to his feet. He padded over to Berwald, ready for their nighttime routine.

Berwald took the boy's hand, then looked at his brother who was just getting off the floor.

"I'm gonna check on Norge," Matthias said in response to his brother's gaze, "then I'll be in."

"Alright," Berwald said as his brother made his way into the spare bedroom.

**.-. . -.. / ..-. --- .-. / - .... . / ..-. ..- .-. -.-- / .. -. / - .... . / .--. ..- .-. .--. .-.. . / --- ..-. / .... .. ... / --. .- --.. .**

When Matthias entered the small bedroom, he was surprised to see that the boy had moved. Not much, but his head and shoulders were more on their side than before, as if he had tried to turn in his sleep but only got so far.

It had only been a week since they had taken in Ice and Norge, but the boy had been healing at a rate Matthias had never seen before. Most major bleeding had stopped, and all of the smaller scrapes and bruises were gone. The burns on his wrists had joined the older marks as scars, and Matthias had been tempted to take some of the stitches out. He didn't, though, for fear of a fast regression.

It had also been a week since that strange vision. He'd touched the boy's skin since then and hadn't seen anymore, so he assumed that he had just imagined it. Well, he was trying to tell himself that. It still nagged at him, though.

He walked over to the smaller figure, his boots clacking softly on the wooden floor. Norge seemed almost to stir, his eyes scrunching together lightly, but it was gone before Matthias even reached the bed. Matthias did his regular check up, lifting the shirt he had transferred him to (one of Berwald's old ones. It had been tiny on him, but on this boy it looked like a dress.) To check on the huge slash in his stomach.

During repair, Matthias had discovered that the wound was much nastier than anticipated. Now, however, it had already started to turn to scar tissue on the ends. Matthias wondered if he had fast healing skin that covered up the rest of the wound, or if the boy actually healed that fast. He hoped it was the latter.

Just before he was going to return the t-shirt to its place, he noticed a small oozing of blood near the center of the wound. He had removed the bandages two days ago to let it air out, but this new blood needed to be covered to prevent infection. He quickly gathered up the freshly-washed bandages, and went to put them on. As soon as he touched the boy's skin with his finger, however, he was gone again.

This time, he was in a large room. The walls were stone, and beautiful furniture was scattered almost without purpose. He stood next to a heavy wooden door which was carved with images and scenes from various religious stories. Across the room, a large, uncovered window was the only source of light, however small, as a rain poured outside. Not a single lamp could be found in the room, and only one other person shared it with Matthias.

A small boy with white hair (Norge, Matthias quickly realized) sat in the fetal position on the large bed, his face buried in his knees. Purple and white satin hung from the bed canopy, forcing Matthias to get closer.

As he did, he started to hear the boy. Soft whimpers came out of the murky light, and now he could see Norge shaking and gasping for breath. He could also see the bruises and bandages on his arms.

Suddenly, a scream cut through the stone walls, causing Matthias and the boy to jump. The screaming continued, and Norge's crying became louder, if only by a small amount. The shrieks rose in pitch, and soon Norge moved his hands from on top of his knees to cover his ears.

Matthias could see his face now, and he saw that Norge was only a few years older than in the last vision. Cuts, bruises, and bandages lined his face as well, and a rage started to build within Matthias. How could someone do this to a child?

The screams had started to form words, and Matthias began to wish they hadn't. Cries of "No!" and "Please! Stop!" and "I'm dying, please! My son, I need to protect my son!" were now audible through the walls as Norge tried his hardest to block it out, his tears growing louder as the woman's did.

_My son._

_Oh my gods._

_That's his_   _mother_ , Matthias realized with a start. _He's listening to his mother die_.

Just as Matthias worked the courage up to comfort the boy, the screaming stopped. Matthias and Norge froze, just as a huge clap of thunder echoed outside. Norge's eyes opened wide, still focused on the cloth beneath his knees.

_Splat._

A huge drop of rain hit the glass.

_Splat. Splat._

It didn't sound like normal rain, though.

_Splat splat splat splat splat._

It sounded almost like...

The rain picked up pace quickly. Norge turned his head slowly, his eyes orbs of terror, to fix them on the glass.

When they did, the boy choked.

It was raining blood.

Tears started welling in his eyes, his hands gripping his hair. Grief, anger, and fear all collided in his shallow gaze. The emotions were so intense, he seemed almost to see nothing.

Nothing, that is, until they latched onto Matthias.

"Who are you," Norge whimpered, his voice thick with tears. Before Matthias could answer, a spark of age lit in his eyes.

"Get out," the boy said, an older gaze clearing his view. "Get out!"

Matthias backed away, trying to get out, but quickly realized that he had no idea how.

Rage sparked in Norge's eyes.

" _ **NOW!**_ "

The word was spoken in two worlds at once, and the image of the room was shattered as Matthias was slammed back into the present. Pain flared in his wrist, and he realized a firm grip had twisted it almost to the point of breaking. The boy on the cot, who was supposed to be lying down, was now sitting upright, and his eyes flared with an anger that made Matthias wish he could run and hide.

"I-I-I-I...," Matthias tried to start, but he was at a loss for words. Norge's eyes ripped them from his mouth before his tongue could begin to mold them.

Quickly, however, a weariness began to eclipse the rage in Norge's eyes. The boy began to sway, and his grip began to relax.

"D-don't," Norge barely got out, "do that...again."

Matthias lunged to grab him before he fell off the bed. He was completely unconscious again.

Matthias set him gently down on the cot, then tried his hardest to collect his thoughts.

 _Did I just see one of Norge's memories?_ Matthias thought to himself. _Is that what that other vision had been? But if so, how did he see me?_ He paused. _How did_ I _see him?_

Matthias's head spun, and he decided that it would probably be best to ask Norge instead of himself.

He glanced over at the sleeping boy, and noticed that he still hadn't put the bandage back on.

He sighed. No matter how much Norge didn't want him in, he would have to risk returning.

After all, the boy was his patient.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said, it may take awhile to update this, but its summer now so not as long. At this point I'm trying to establish a good timeline and research a little on the time period. Who knows where they are exactly, but, since it IS a Nordics fic, it does take place somewhere in Scandinavia. Its pretty much a parallel universe at this point, but it may get better later.
> 
> Also, I might be changing a few plot points so watch the tags. I WILL update them so that no one gets triggered or squicked. 
> 
> See you next chapter!


	5. Blue and Purple

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, kiddies, this chapter is a little heavier than the previous ones. It's definitely not fluff. (Not that all the other chapters were really fluff either. I'm really bad at writing that stuff, apparently.) 
> 
> As I've said before, please watch the tags. I've started to get a hold on the plot and some new ideas have entered. I don't want anyone to be triggered, so please pay attention. I will always update them to unsure your mental safety.
> 
> That's all for now. Happy reading.

It was a bright morning and there was peace in the air. Matthias sat at the kitchen table, drinking a cup of the coffee Lady Gyda had traded him for her daughter's aid. It had been a severe case of the flu, and Matthias had almost lost her. The bitter taste reminded him that even though he wasn't half the doctor his father was, he was still able to save lives. As he sat, he watched the other two sitting in the living room. 

Berwald sat on the couch, holding Ice on his lap and a book in front of his face. He was reading one of the books their parents had gotten him for his birthday. Initially, he had gotten it out to see if Ice could read, and after they discovered that the answer was positive, they decided to read it together. Berwald would wait for Ice to finish the page before turning, and it seemed like the kid was only a little slower than Berwald. 

"What book are you reading, Ber?" Matthias asked.

" _The Creation of the Cosmos_ ," Berwald replied, not taking his eyes off the page. 

Matthias nodded, taking another sip of his drink. That one had always been Berwald's favorite. Of course he would bring it out to share with the kid. Berwald was hard to read to many, but Matthias, having grown up alongside him, found it fairly easy. The kid had grown on him, and it made sense considering Ice never seemed to leave his side. Everyday the eight-year-old would come into the house, his eyes alight, with some story about farming or the animals they kept. It was almost as if he had never seen a farm before, and, thinking back on the visions he had had of Norge, he supposed he hadn't. If he was a noble's son, of course he had never seen a farm before.

Matthias sat in thought for a few moments longer, before he got too confused with the endless running around in his head. He decided it would probably be better to wait and as Norge himself. Taking Ice and Berwald as a good example, he walked into Berwald's room and selected one of the worn books from the shelf.  _Thor the Transvestite_ , read the title, and Matthias shrugged. It was as good a story as the others. He walked back to the kitchen and plopped down into his chair. He flipped to the first page, and began to read.

_"One morning, Thor awoke to find his hammer, Mjollnir, missing. This was no small matter; without the thunder god’s best weapon, Asgard was left vulnerable to the attacks of the giants. In a rage, he searched everywhere for his most prized possession, but it was nowhere to be found...."_

Matthias immersed himself in the story, only looking up when a faint chill ran down his back. He looked up, seeing Ice and Berwald snuggled closer than before.

"You feel that, too?" Berwald asked, scooting a little closer to the fire.

Matthias nodded. "Where's it coming from? The doors are all shut."

Berwald shrugged. Ice snuggled in closer to his chest and shivered deeply.

Suddenly, a huge burst of wind slammed the door to the spare bedroom open and a scream resounded through the house. Matthias surged forward, snow starting to pile on furniture and people.

He pushed into the room, spotting Norge sitting upright in the bed, snow and icy wind pouring from his mouth. A look of absolute terror rested upon his face and his eyes glowing a terrifying shade of purple.

Before Matthias could decide how to act, Ice was beside him, gripping onto his leg with a vice-like grip. 

"Norge!" Ice cried, struggling to pull forward. "Norge, its okay! We're safe!"

Norge turned to the child, his mouth snapping shut and taking with it the wind. His eyes still glowed faintly as Ice flung himself at his brother. Ice hugged Norge deeply, while Norge's arms remained at his sides. After a few moments of hugging, the purple light receded into normal purple eyes, and Norge closed them and took Ice into his arms. Lifting the boy slightly, Norge fell back into the bed and positioned Ice at his side. 

"You okay?" Matthias asked tentatively, afraid that the boy would start spewing snow again.

Norge breathed deeply before replying. "I am now," he said, his voice soft. "I couldn't remember how I got here for a second, is all."

"But you remember now?" Berwald asked from Matthias's side.

Norge nodded slightly, not releasing Ice.

"How do you feel?" Matthias asked, shifting into doctor mode.

"Fine," Norge said. Ice shifted and he winced slightly. "Better than before, at least."

Matthias stepped up to the side of the bed. "Would you mind letting go of Ice?" Norge tensed and he added, "I need to look at your injuries."

"Norge...," Ice said into his brother's chest, pulling away. Norge let the boy go, and eyed Matthias with a sharp gaze. Ice climbed out of bed, but didn't go far.

Matthias had the boy sit up, then pulled up his shirt. The huge gash on he chest had gotten significantly smaller, the bruises at his ribs all but gone. He moved to the boys arms, and saw only scars and bruises. The same was true of his legs. He checked the head wound, which was just a faint white line at this point.

"Turn around," he ordered the boy, who obliged. Matthias lifted up the shirt and saw that the gashes on his back had healed significantly, too. Releasing the shirt, he waited until the boy got settled, noting the way his movements were stiff, as if moving pained him.

"I don't know how you did it," Matthias started, "but you've healed faster than any human could. Most of your wounds are scars or bruises, and I only had the stitches in for two weeks. For a cut that deep, that's pretty impressive." 

Ice smiled. "Does that mean he's okay?"

"Not entirely," Matthias said slowly. He looked at Norge. "You're still experiencing pain in your movements, aren't you?"

Norge nodded slowly, glancing at his brother.

"What hurts specifically?"

Another glance at Ice, then a pleading look at Matthias. Berwald got the hint first.

"Hey, Ice," Berwald said, putting out his hand, "let's go keep reading. We were in a really good part of the story."

"But I wanna stay here with Norge," Ice said.

"Norge is talking with Matthias as his patient," Berwald said evenly. "You can come back in when they're done."

"But...," Ice looked at his brother for support, and found none. "Alright." Ice reluctantly followed Berwald into the living room after making Matthias promise to call him back in once they were done.

Matthias shut the door behind them, and turned to his patient.

"Why did we have to make your brother wait outside?" Matthias asked. "I would think after that outburst and the way you were in the woods that you wouldn't want him to leave your side."

"I don't want him to leave my side," Norge said quietly, "but I also don't want him to know everything that goes on."

"Keeping your brother in the dark isn't exactly fair," Matthias said.

"I know," Norge said, "but it wasn't my idea alone."

"Your half brother, uh, Tino was the other person, right?" Matthias recalled the first vision.

"Fin," Norge corrected. "Since we're on the run we don't call him by his real name."

"So Norge and Ice aren't your real names either, are they."

Norge answered with a nod. Matthias sighed.

"Alright," Matthias continued, "I won't ask what your real names are, if you let me know what happened to you in the woods."

Norge winced. "I don't want to tell you that either."

"Listen," Matthias said bluntly, "if I don't know exactly what injuries you sustained, I can't help you accurately. You've healed very well on your own, but from the look of your wounds you shouldn't have that much pain in your movements."

There was a pause. Norge bit his lip.

"Help me help you," Matthias pleaded. 

Norge looked Matthias in the eyes, as if studying his soul. He seemed almost to trust him, but then a dark emotion bloomed near the center of his gaze and spread quickly outward. 

"I'll be fine," he said finally, and Matthias tried not to look hurt. 

"At least tell me where the pain is coming from," he said.

Norge shifted slightly, and grasped at his lower back. 

"Let me see," Matthias said, having the boy flip over again.

He still didn't see anything, but he ran his fingers over the area to feel for bumps or sore patches. Norge winced slightly near his spine, but other than that nothing seemed to be wrong. 

_It must be internal,_ Matthias thought. He paused.  _The only thing deep to this spot is..._ _  
_

Norge seemed to sense Matthias's train of thought. He lurched upward, throwing the man onto the floor. Pain flared in Norge's eyes, and he took a shaky breath, before turning a slightly less harsh gaze to the man on the floor.

"I was never taught any...," Matthias trailed off. He had  _no_ idea how to even begin to treat that. 

"I said I'll be fine," Norge hissed. "You asked to look at it, and you have. Now just le-" He was cut off by a loud growl.

Matthias held back a laugh at the confused look on Norge's face.

"Oh, gosh," Matthias chuckled. "You haven't eaten in at least three weeks. We really need to get you some food." He got to his feet. "Stay put. I'll have Ice bring you something." 

When he entered the living room, he heard a loud  _Uff!_ from Berwald as Ice shot off his lap. The small boy gripped onto Matthias's leg, looking at him with big blue eyes.

"Is he okay, Matthias?" Ice asked. "Is my brother okay?"

"Yeah, little man," Matthias smiled. "He's just hungry. I told him you and Berwald would take him something."

"Okay!" Ice brightened immediately. He turned to the younger man, who had just barely gotten off the couch. "Let's make some eggs!"

"Alright then," Berwald replied. "Let's go get some eggs."

Matthias waited until the back door had shut before he walked over to where his book lay on the floor. He straightened the pages, then walked into Berwald's room to place it on the shelf. He scanned the other books for one of his father's. Finally, he found it. He pulled it from the shelf, dust flying in the air, and took it into his room. Sitting on the bed, he looked at the cover. It was an old red, the edges worn from use, and the words  _Liber Herbarum_ painted in gold on the front.  _  
_

He opened it, and began scanning the yellow pages. The words were in old pen, and it had faded significantly since his father had gotten it, but Matthias struggled through, searching for something that could help Norge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the stories that they read aren't books, but they ARE old Scandinavian myths. You can read them here -> http://norse-mythology.org/tales/ and the book that Matthias reads at the end was actually the first medical book in Scandinavia and was published in the 13th century. 
> 
> This chapter started phase two of the plot. It'll get a bit darker but not by much. Yet. 
> 
> Since it's summer and I have a pretty stable use of the computer right now, I might be able to do a weekly basis. I'm definitely going to try, at least. 
> 
> That's all for now. See you next chapter!


End file.
